


A Pirate at Heart

by valis2



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-19
Updated: 2006-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-07 22:26:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/69876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valis2/pseuds/valis2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the lupin_snape Livejournal comm Snupin Santa 2006 challenge.  From pixychelle's prompt:  <i>At some point during the planning for his death, Dumbledore gifted Severus with a precious escape route. It looks like a ship in a bottle, but it's actually a portkey into a Wizard Space tailored to Severus' childhood fantasy of being a pirate...Snupin on the high seas ensues.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	A Pirate at Heart

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** JK Rowling, Warner Bros, Scholastic &amp; Bloomsbury Books all own the Harry Potter universe. Warner Brothers and Rafael Sabatini own _Captain Blood_. 20th Century Fox owns _the Black Swan_. Disney owns _Pirates of the Caribbean_. I make no money from this work of fiction.  
> **Warnings:** Movie!pirates. And I stress the _movie_ part. Lots of swashbuckling.  
> **Author's Notes:** I owe a great debt to the amazing swashbucklers that are referenced in this fic. Many of the technical lines, and some of the plot, are taken from _Captain Blood_. Several of Tommy Blue's lines are taken directly from _the Black Swan_. The quote _a painted ship upon a painted ocean_ is from "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."

"But it's just not _fair_." Hermione looked stubborn and haggard all at once, and Remus's heart squeezed in sympathy.

"I know," he said quietly. "You've done your best, and I can't fault you for the outcome." He smiled ruefully.

"I just wish...I wish..." She looked miserable. "I don't understand how it could come to this. You're a war hero, for goodness' sake!"

"War hero, yes, and werewolf, too." How he wished he could comfort her somehow, but he didn't have the words. His own heart hung like lead in his chest.

"It's ridiculous," she said heatedly. "No trials, just—" She sat down on the couch suddenly, wiping her eyes. "If Harry were alive..."

_Oh, no, anything but that._ His eyes began to prickle, and he opened them wider. "Harry was content, at the end," he murmured. "You have Ron..."

She looked up at him in shock.

"Oh, I mean...Hermione, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..."

She sniffed and conjured a handkerchief, dabbing at her eyes. "I know what you meant, and you're right, even if no one else wants to say it out loud. Harry saved Ron's life at the expense of his own." She sniffed again and blew her nose. "After Snape destroyed the Horcrux in Harry's scar, there wasn't much anyone could have done, anyway."

Remus flushed involuntarily at the sound of Severus's name. "Yes, but I shouldn't have brought it up in that manner."

She stood up, looking down at the research materials they'd piled on his desk, and her expression softened. "I wonder what happened to Snape," she mused. "It's been three years, after all, and still no word. He deserved the Order of Merlin for helping Harry..."

"He's hidden away somewhere, no doubt. He's a cunning fellow. I'm certain he's slithering in the grass, probably under our very feet."

She actually laughed at that, a welcome sound to his ears. "I wouldn't be surprised if he did turn out to be an Animagus," she said, stashing the handkerchief into the pocket of her robes. "He was certainly sneaky enough, and smart enough, to have figured it out on his own."

"Only too true," he said.

"Tonks once wondered if he could take on another form." She absently fingered a quill on his desk. "She'd heard rumors about spiders..." She looked at him apologetically. "I...forgot to tell you, before, that she's getting married...Charlie proposed to her last week."

"Yes, I heard when she visited me yesterday." Remus tried to school his expression into something neutral. Tonks had cried, and wished that their lives had turned out differently, but they'd both known it was for the best. Charlie was the better man for her, in all ways.

"I think she'll be happy with him," said Hermione gently. "You did the right thing."

Remus glanced at the clock. "Ah, Hermione, you should be going home. Ron will be missing you."

"But we have things to discuss," she insisted.

"It can wait," he said. "I'm not likely to go anywhere, not with a guard posted on every door, and my wand confiscated."

"Yes, but we should still discuss our next course of action." The determination that had served her so well during the war was plain upon her face. "We don't have much time left."

"Hermione, there aren't any courses left open to us," he said gently.

She looked stricken. "But we have to keep fighting!"

"There comes an end to fighting," he said, and then immediately regretted it. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks again. "Hermione, I'm sorry. I'm terribly thoughtless tonight."

She shook her head. "No, you're just...speaking the truth. I understand. But that doesn't mean that I'll stop fighting for you, Remus, because I _won't_ give up. I can't." She stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek, and he was surprised at the show of affection. "I'll see you tomorrow, and I'll bring fresh ideas with me." As she brushed past his desk, her robes caught on his quill, spilling an ink-bottle onto the floor. "Oh, dear."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it," he said, shooing her off.

She nodded and opened the front door, conferring in quiet tones with the Auror stationed outside it. She looked more composed when she turned back toward him. "Until tomorrow, then."

"Yes. Goodbye, Hermione." He tried to smile, but failed.

The door closed behind her, and again his little cottage looked empty. He'd spent so many joyless nights here of late, working into the evening, researching with Hermione. Sadly, it had all been for nothing. He could feel the noose tightening. Umbridge had the upper hand, and with all of the havoc that werewolves and vampires had created on Voldemort's commands, public sentiment was against them. The Ministry had already begun by executing Greyback, and it was only a matter of time before they reached him, war hero or no.

Without his wand, he was forced to put the kettle on the stove and wait for it to boil. Turning back to the mess on the floor, he got down on his knees, picking up the bottle and putting it back on the desk. He touched the inky pool gingerly. His back protested, and he decided that it didn't really matter if he cleaned it up.

A flash of light on glass caught his eye, and he leaned down further, ignoring the twinge in his back. There was a glass bottle underneath his desk, and he retrieved it, wiping the dust off on his robes.

It was rather small; it barely fit into his hand. A calm ocean hypnotically swayed to and fro inside, its turquoise waters glittering.

It wasn't the sea that attracted his attention, however. It was the graceful pirate ship cresting a lazy wave, its white sails full of wind. He looked closer, noting the Jolly Roger that snapped in the breeze. He'd first seen it on Albus's desk, years ago, and it had looked like a child's toy. Later, he'd found it in the wreckage of Spinner's End. He was still uncertain how it'd survived, and how Severus had come to possess it.

He did wonder where Severus had gone. His disappearance had been cause for alarm for many, and Remus had no doubt that mothers used his name to scare children into beds at night. After Harry's death the _Daily Prophet_ had started a smear campaign targeted directly at Severus, and public pressure had pushed the Ministry into an investigation of the reclusive man against the wishes of Albus's portrait, and the dying wishes of Harry Potter. Doubtless Severus would have been found guilty of something, and Kissed, had he not vanished. Remus grimaced at that.

His own execution was scheduled for next week. Umbridge had already confided to him that she would be presiding over it. He only hoped that Tonks and Hermione would keep their promises and stay away. He shivered as he thought of his own death, so near—

There was a noise, then, and everything blurred into violent streaks of color as he felt the yanking disorientation of a Portkey. He was drawn through the air at a terrific rate, his ears filled with a vast roaring and whooshing. He tumbled over and over again, blindly falling into oblivion.

He shouted as he suddenly dropped into shockingly cold water, and drew in a lungful as a result. Sea water, he realized as the brine seared his mouth. His foot broke through the surface of the water into air, and he managed to right himself, coughing and sputtering.

He heard shouts and splashing, and tried to turn toward their origin, but it was difficult. He could not stop coughing. A wave struck him in the face, and he went under again, very nearly blacking out in the process.

A hand suddenly grasped his arm, pulling him to the surface, and he grabbed on for dear life. "Hold on, we'll have you aboard soon enough," said a voice, and he could only nod weakly. It took a great effort to breathe, and his eyes stung.

When he opened his eyes again, he wondered if he'd gone insane. He was looking up at a darkening sky through crisp white sails and taut ropes.

He was on a pirate ship.

"How are you feeling?" asked the young man who had pulled him from the sea.

"I—" He began to cough again, raggedly. "Where am I?" He blinked again, his eyes tearing from the salt.

"You're aboard the _Cinco Llagos_, my friend. My name's Jeremy Pitt, and I hauled you from the water."

"Thank you," said Remus, dissolving into another coughing fit. "My name's Remus Lupin."

"Remus Lupin?" said a familiar voice. "Don't you mean your name is Don Diego or something equally ridiculous?"

Remus blinked again, and his vision cleared. He looked up at a tall, elegant figure, clad in black with white lace peeking out at the cuffs and throat. A golden sash was tied about his waist, and black leather boots fit his calves snugly.

"Only a Remus Lupin construct would be silly enough to announce his real name," continued the man in drawling tones. A black hat with a glorious white plume was perched upon his head, and he cocked his head slightly, the feather shivering with the motion. Long black hair spilled out underneath. "Now, let's try that again. Don Diego, is it? Or are we following the movie this time...but then...who would you be? Did we accidentally pick up Colonel Bishop? What an amusing mistake that would be."

Remus could only cough in response to that.

"He's definitely not Colonel Bishop," insisted Jeremy. "There's little chance of that, unless he were to swim here from Port Royal. And he's dressed strange-like."

The captain took a step forward and regarded him intently. Remus looked up into dark eyes, and the realization of who was standing before him struck him like a blow to the stomach. "Severus Snape," he croaked, gaping in astonishment.

Severus's eyes widened. "How—How did you—Jeremy, take him below. To my quarters. Now!" he barked. He turned on his heel and stomped away.

"The Captain's in one of his moods," said one of the other sailors, a stout man with a kerchief tied over his head and golden hoops in his ears.

Jeremy sighed. "Well, there's nothing to be done for it, Tommy, except follow orders."

"Aye, take him below," agreed Tommy. "Let the captain sort him out." His eyes twinkled alarmingly.

Remus was pulled down into the cool belly of the ship, amidst the curious looks of the crew. His head spun as he tried to come to terms with Severus Snape, Captain of a Pirate Vessel. The dark, low passageways made Remus feel vaguely claustrophobic, until Jeremy knocked on a door.

"Enter."

The voice gave him chills, and Remus nearly tripped on the edge of a sumptuous rug as Jeremy opened the door and pulled him into the room. Remus was overcome for a moment, remembering a hasty, fumbling kiss in the dark, so many years ago, hands in greasy hair, and that very same voice, breathless and frightened and hungry for more.

"Here he is, Captain," said Jeremy, withdrawing his hand from Remus's arm. He turned and left, the latch clicking into place.

Severus was across the room in a flash, his cool, arrogant demeanor completely gone. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded. His eyes narrowed. "Or are you some new iteration?"

"Iteration?" asked Remus, confused. "Of what? What are _you_ doing here?"

Severus leaned down, his face inches away. His black eyes seemed to suck in all of the light in the room, until Remus felt as if he was drowning in them.

"Merlin," said Severus, sounding horrified. "It _is_ you."

"Of course it's me!" snapped Remus, shaking off the darkness.

Severus turned around and stalked to the velvet couch, dropping inelegantly into it. "Of all the foolish...What did you do?" he demanded. "You must have found the ship. How did you trick it?"

"The ship in the bottle?" asked Remus, sinking down to the floor. His wet robes were heavy and he was cold. "I found it at Spinner's End, after you disappeared."

"How long ago?" Severus's eyes pierced him.

"Three years, I guess," said Remus, rubbing his eyes, which burned. "Tonks brought me...She thought I could help with some of the, well, Dark items you had stored there."

Severus frowned. "There was nothing there more suspicious than a few less-than-legal potions ingredients." He seemed rattled.

"The _Prophet_ reported that it was a repository of..." He blinked and shook his head. "The ship in the bottle...it's a Wizard Space, isn't it?"

"Of a sort," admitted Severus, a touch of a grin twisting his lips.

"But...I've picked it up before, and nothing ever happened..."

"It only works if you hold it while you are in danger of dying, and _think_ of that very danger. It was a gift." Severus pulled the cork out of a nearby bottle of rum and took a healthy swallow, wiping his lips on the back of his sleeve. Clearly, consorting with pirates had not improved his manners.

"I was going to be executed," said Remus, feeling even stranger.

Severus looked at him sharply. "A war hero like you? Executed? Ridiculous. Unless..." His eyes narrowed. "Umbridge and her anti-werewolf legislation, I suppose?"

"Yes, exactly." He stood up and crossed the room, sitting down on the couch next to Severus.

"You're _sopping_," said Severus, passing the bottle to him.

The alcohol was strong, and it hit Remus's belly like a lead weight. His eyes watered again. "So you're the captain of the _Cinco Llagos_?"

"For today." He took off his hat and tossed it into a corner. "I'm not certain about you, however, and your role..."

There was a knock at the door. "Enter," said Severus loudly.

The door opened, and Tommy entered, a shrewd expression on his face. "There's a split in the main brace," he said.

"A split? What are you talking about? Which main brace?" asked Severus.

"And there's a barnacle on the cathead," he added, casting his eyes upward in an obvious hint.

"A barnacle on the...oh, very well," said Severus, sounding cross. "Remus Lupin, this is my first mate, Tom Blue. Tom Blue, Remus Lupin."

"Time's a-wasting," said Tommy, after nodding in Remus's direction.

"Show him to the next cabin, and I'll meet you topsides," said Severus.

"Aye." Tommy motioned for Remus to follow him back into the hallway, and opened the next door, revealing a spacious cabin with large, frosted glass windows. "Pleasant dreams."

"Same to you," said Remus.

Tommy grinned and closed the door behind him. Remus felt overwhelmed. Was this a hallucination? Was he truly in a Wizard Space? He flopped down on the soft bed, and stared at the frosted windows. Outside lay the dark, calm sea. He could hear the lap of waves upon the sides of the vessel, and the gentle rocking of the ship soothed his troubled mind. His head was spinning slowly, thanks to the rum, and he closed his eyes, hoping to puzzle out what had happened. Wizard Spaces were tricky things, and he tried to recall what he knew of them, but only succeeded in falling into an exhausted sleep instead.

* * *

Remus stretched and yawned, feeling better-rested than he had in weeks. One of the windows was slightly ajar, letting in the refreshing scent of the ocean, and he sat up, throwing the covers to one side.

Oddly enough, he wasn't wearing robes. In fact, he was wearing a simple pair of light drawstring trousers, and he scratched his head, trying to remember when he had put them on.

The hand in his hair was quite surprised to note that his hair was clean.

In fact, he felt altogether well-scrubbed, as if he had just taken a shower. His skin tingled. At the foot of the bed was a trunk, upon which was spread an amazing suit of clothes, all finely tailored. Obviously Severus had become quite the clothes-horse after taking on his new role as pirate.

He sat for a moment, letting it all sink in. Pirate. He'd never heard of a pirate-themed Wizard Space before...and it was even more surprising because Severus was at its center. It seemed vast, though the size could be an illusion; the ocean might simply repeat itself so they could sail endlessly in one direction.

The sun shone through the windows, and he stood up, frowning. They were clear, sparkling, whereas last night they had been frosted. He looked around and noticed that the room was not the same, either. The bed was in a different place. He tried shoving it with his knee, but it was nailed to the floor.

Very curious. He stripped off the trousers and dressed in the rich clothing that had been left, delighting in the feel of the luxurious fabric. There was a knock.

"Yes?" he asked.

The door flew open and there stood Lucius Malfoy, clad in tight black trousers and an impeccably crisp white linen shirt. "I trust your sleep was undisturbed?" he asked, his words heavily accented in French. He smiled, letting his gaze travel from head to toe. "The clothes become you, truly."

"Lucius," said Remus, dumbfounded. It was worse than seeing a ghost. Lucius was tangible, flesh and blood, and he could only stand and shake in fury. He had killed him in the war, torn out his throat, and he still wished he could have done more. Much more. How Lucius had ruined Ginny would haunt him forever in his nightmares.

"Lucius?" sniffed Lucius. "Who is that? I am _Capitaine_ Levasseur, the finest captain on the coast. Have you forgotten your capture last night? Is it possible that you have...eh...struck your head?"

"Capture?" said Remus warily.

"Yes, the English ship we took last night," said Lucius.

"Ah." Jeremy had called the ship the _Cinco Llagos_, which seemed to imply that it was a Spanish ship. Had he been taken to a new vessel? Was this another aspect of the Wizard Space...to relocate inhabitants?

"I will ransom you to your father for 20,000 pieces of eight." Lucius crossed the room slowly. "Surely you understand _that_, yes?"

"My father?" Now he was certain that something strange was occurring.

Lucius made an impatient gesture. "Yes, the governor of Jamaica, of course. How is it that you are so stupid this morning?"

Remus reached for a wand that wasn't there. In fact, he was completely weaponless, while Lucius wore a sword. He clenched his fists.

"You are more handsome than I remember," Lucius continued, taking another step forward and studying him. "Perhaps when we are on the island, we can reacquaint ourselves."

Remus felt his face turn red. "The island of Jamaica? The governor won't care for that at all."

"No, no, the Island of the Virgen Magra," said Lucius impatiently. "We will land soon. I will call for you when we are ready." He turned and left with a flourish, his shiny boots smartly striking the wooden floor.

He sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. It had all gone from strange to worse. Being trapped in another's fantasy was a nightmare.

* * *

The sun was high overhead, and Remus stood next to an impeccably dressed politician who had introduced himself as Lord Willoughby (and who, amusingly enough, was actually Percy Weasley). The Island of the Virgen Magra was quite small and narrow, dotted with tall palm trees and sandy beaches, but Remus was more concerned with the fact that Lucius continued to watch him with unabashed interest.

"I'm actually on an urgent mission from the king, mind you," said Percy, who had not stopped talking once since they had been thrown together in the longboat and landed in a small cove on the island. "I've been looking for Peter Blood." He looked well-pleased with himself.

"Ah," said Remus, turning his eyes away again from Lucius's feral, white-toothed grin.

"Yes, he's haunting these waters," said Percy. "I'd say he's nearby, or I'd eat my hat. You haven't seen him, have you?"

"No," he said automatically, not knowing who Peter Blood was, and not caring. His mind was on other matters, such as finding a weapon and escaping. They were standing on a narrow stretch of wild grass that grew next to the sandy beach. Next to the grass a long embankment rose, taller than a man, and he wondered how quickly he could scale it, and what was on the other side.

"Well, I hope to find him soon," continued Percy. "It's vital that I speak with him at the earliest possible opportunity."

"Yes, I had gathered that."

Lucius's hair shone in the sun, a brilliant mass of white gold that was nearly blinding. He looked tan and lithe, and if it weren't for the seething rage that Remus felt for the man, he would have found him extremely attractive.

"Levasseur knows him rather well, I'd say. I overheard one of the crew mentioning that they'd linked articles."

Remus blinked. "Articles?"

"Their code of conduct, if you will. Levasseur has agreed to sail under Blood's articles, which are rather constrictive."

"I see." Remus's eyes were drawn again to Lucius.

Lucius returned his gaze, and smiled, baring white teeth. "How do you fare, my 20,000 pieces of eight?" he said loudly. "Are you comfortable?"

"I am quite well, thank you," said Percy, fanning himself.

"20,000 pieces of eight?" said a new voice. "Have I heard you correctly?"

Everyone turned to stare at the embankment. Severus stood at the top, attired similarly to the clothing he'd worn the day before, with the addition of a leather baldric. A rapier completed the outfit, its gilt handle winking in the sunlight.

Remus breathed a sigh of relief, and smiled at Severus, whose black eyes raked over him and returned to Lucius, showing no sign of recognition.

"I captured an English ship," said Lucius triumphantly.

"A ship we passed some three days ago," said Severus casually. He began to walk down the embankment slowly, Tommy and Jeremy following on his heels.

"On board we found a prize." Lucius smiled dazzlingly, and pointed at Remus. "The son of the governor of Jamaica. I'm quite certain that he'll fetch a large sum when we ransom him."

"I'm a member of the Royal Court!" added Percy.

"The son of the governor? You _have_ found a prize." Severus seemed relaxed and confident on the surface, but Remus could see tension in his eyes. "20,000 pieces of eight, you say?" He appeared to be deep in thought for a moment. "Could the governor be persuaded to part with more?"

Remus stared at him in shock.

"He will be hard-pressed to deliver the 20,000, I think," said Lucius cautiously, his eyes narrowing.

"Ah...I see. And if he were unable to pay at all?" asked Severus. "Your crew deserves the prize. After all, they took the risk to obtain him." Several of Lucius's sailors nodded in agreement.

"Ah..." Lucius looked at him warily.

"What if someone else was able to pay the 20,000 ransom now? Then your crew would enjoy the spoils regardless."

Remus realized that Jeremy had moved unobtrusively to his side. The young pirate nodded to him.

"Who would buy him?" scoffed Lucius. "Who has such money?"

"You could ransom me, as well," added Percy. "I'm worth at _least_ 5,000." Neither captain looked in his direction.

Tommy handed Severus a small purse. "Here," said Severus, emptying out the contents into his hand. "Rubies. Each is worth at least a thousand. There are twenty here, which should more than compensate you for the ransom you might not even receive."

Lucius looked back toward Remus, his expression conflicted. "I wish to..."

Severus scattered the rubies into the wild grass. "There, men, there's your prize," he said grimly to Lucius's crew. "And now I will collect mine. Tommy, Jeremy..." He began to walk up the embankment. Jeremy took Remus's arm and began to propel him forward.

"I have not agreed to your plan!" cried out Lucius.

"I have done what is best for our crews," said Severus slowly and carefully, "and I have adhered to our articles...articles which you, in fact, signed."

"Articles!" said Lucius dismissively. "They are _your_ confounded articles. They mean nothing to me! He is my property, and mine alone!" He pulled his sword free.

"Very well," said Severus coldly, drawing his own blade and tossing his hat to Tommy. "If that is your wish, consider our partnership _dissolved_."

"It is my pleasure!" Lucius grinned like a madman, his grey eyes dancing with madness. "For too long I've chafed under your foolish articles..."

Jeremy pulled Remus toward the embankment where Tommy stood. From the top they could see Lucius's entire crew, who were still dashing about, attempting to find all of the rubies in the grass. Tommy nodded to him, and then went back to watching the duel with a frown on his face, his large fingers creasing the brim of Severus's hat.

"I say," said Percy, who had followed Jeremy. "How exciting! To finally find Captain Blood, _and_ see him duel with Captain Levasseur...amazing!"

"_He's_ Captain Blood?" asked Remus, incredulous.

Tommy looked amused. "Aye...among other things." His eyes sparkled.

"He looks smashing! I've heard he's an expert duelist." Percy watched them avidly.

Remus turned his attention back to the duel at hand. Lucius's crew was preoccupied, and those who weren't kept their distance, thankfully, which freed Severus to pay close attention to his opponent. Neither man paused to size the other up; they immediately joined in combat, and steel rang upon steel.

They fought like men possessed. Severus, in particular, seemed as if a fire had been kindled under his feet; he leapt here and there, his rapier a blur in the bright sunlight. Lucius was continually forced to give up ground to Severus's aggression.

"Careful, lad," said Tommy under his breath.

They fought their way onto the beach, and Lucius jumped up onto the rocks at the edge, renewing his attack and using the height to his advantage. Severus fended off every thrust expertly, his face twisted in concentration, until Lucius backed up another step. Severus followed, leaping onto the rocky ledge as well.

Lucius lunged desperately, catching Severus on the sleeve and drawing blood. Severus winced and nearly slipped. There was an expression of triumph on Lucius's face as he lunged again, but it quickly changed to astonishment as Severus ran him through while deftly avoiding the other blade.

"_Capitaine_!" said one of the crew members, astonished. Lucius pitched forward, falling into the foaming sea, and Severus calmly walked past the other sailors, pausing only to wipe his sword off on the grass before sheathing it.

Remus watched as Severus approached them, walking stiffly, as if he expected a knife between the shoulders. His eyes flashed as he looked at Remus.

"Slowly, now," said Tommy quietly to Jeremy. "To the ship."

Even Percy seemed to have understood the hint, and they walked away in silence, leaving the French crew confused. They clustered around their captain, whose body had been retrieved from the foaming edge of the sea and was now staining the beach with blood.

Remus could see the _Cinco Llagos_ anchored in the distance. Relief washed over him. A lone longboat floated near the shore. A crewman stood nearby, calling out, "Ahoy, Captain!" when he saw them.

"Ahoy!" said Tommy. They boarded the longboat for the long haul back to the ship. Remus sat in silence as they rowed across the water, furtively watching Severus, who seemed as if he was carved in stone.

Climbing up the ladder was a harrowing experience. Severus went first, and he was surprised at how graceful he was, how the lean lines of his body flexed as he reached for each rung.

When it came to his turn, Remus remembered his unwilling dip in the ocean the day prior, and shuddered. The rungs and the ropes were unwieldy and his hands were raw and scraped by the time he reached the deck. In contrast, Jeremy scrambled up like he was born to it, and even Tommy seemed to scale it with ease.

By the time Remus reached the deck, Severus was already addressing his crew, informing them that their partnership with Captain Levasseur had been dissolved. Several of the sailors nodded in approval.

"We have taken aboard a guest, the son of the governor of Jamaica," continued Severus. "As our articles dictate, we are forbidden from harming him in any way. I have decided to return him to his home. We sail for Jamaica. Jeremy, plot a course."

A few of the sailors gasped. The rest stared at him as if he had taken leave of his senses, and before anyone could say anything, Severus had whirled off toward his cabin.

"Wait, Captain Blood!" called out Percy. "I have to speak with you on a matter of grave importance..."

"The captain is busy." Tommy grinned, holding out his hand to stop him. Percy immediately began to protest.

Remus only spared them a glance as he chased after Severus, following him into the depths of the ship, back to his cabin.

Severus sat down in a chair, looking weary. Stripping off his shirt, he grimaced at the cut on his arm, and grabbed a bottle of rum from the table, pulling out the cork in one quick motion. He winced as he poured the alcohol on the wound, and ripped a long strip of cloth from his shirt.

"Let me do that," exclaimed Remus, taking the makeshift bandage out of his hand and wrapping it around his arm. Severus regarded him warily. This close, he could feel the heat of his body as he bound the wound, and he tried not to notice the tight feeling in his stomach. His eyes kept straying. Three years in the enchanted bottle had been kind to Severus. His pale, sallow complexion had been bronzed by exposure to the sun, and his hair looked cleaner and less greasy. His black eyes were still as intense, still unsettling, and Remus had to look away.

Severus yanked his arm out of Remus's grasp as soon as the knot was tied, and lifted the bottle again, taking a swig of rum.

"This Wizard Space...it's from Albus, isn't it?" Remus sat down on the couch opposite him.

"Yes," said Severus, taking another swig. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

"He knew you'd be persecuted."

"Yes."

"Why this place? Why pirates?" Remus sat back, relaxing.

Severus flushed. "When I was young...I would sneak out, at night, and go to the cinema."

"Pirate movies," said Remus, grinning. "You liked pirate movies."

"They certainly seemed like a nicer alternative than...where I lived," said Severus, scowling.

"For three years, then, you've been living Captain Blood's life."

"Not quite. There are other ships, other crews. Once each scenario plays out, I wake on a different ship, and a new plot begins."

"Really?" Remus was fascinated. "What an amazing piece of spellwork."

"It's even more sophisticated than you think," said Severus, looking uncomfortable. "Sometimes it senses the...needs of its resident and makes adjustments."

"Adjustments?"

Severus grimaced. "The scenarios are usually taken from the movies I watched as a child, but occasionally they branch out into other...less pleasant territory."

"What do you mean?"

He seemed to hesitate for a moment. "The first year I spent here was idyllic, in some ways..."

"And?"

"I became bored." Severus' eyes looked pained. "First, I noticed that some of the crew members were being replaced by people from my life...before." He took a deep breath. "Minerva, for example. It was extremely disconcerting to see her at first, but she only acted as the housekeeper in the scenario, and did not respond to any attempts to recall her life past this place. More time passed and more familiar faces appeared, and they ceased to provoke a reaction from me.

"That's when the Dark Lord appeared." Severus leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"What?!"

"My reaction was much the same. The first time his ship intercepted mine, I was taken completely by surprise, and I only barely managed to escape.

"He did not take part in any of the regular scenarios, in fact; he somehow inhabited the world on his own, and would often attack when I least expected it.

"I spent a year locked in combat with him. I spent two months of that as his prisoner, in fact, locked in manacles in the hull of his ship. I couldn't believe that he had found his way here. I couldn't understand how it was possible."

"It _isn't_ possible," argued Remus. "I watched him die. Really die."

"It is possible, if he isn't really the Dark Lord, but a construct of this place." Severus paused for a moment. "Albus created it, as you said." He opened his eyes a crack, and they glittered. "He was always rather fond of lessons, you remember..."

Remus was horrified. Had the Wizard Space created the Dark Lord because Severus felt so strongly the need to punish himself, to absolve himself of his earlier misdeeds? "But...to chain you...to keep you captive...What kind of fantasy world is this? It sounds...terrible. And unbearably lonely, really. If all of the crew are merely constructs..."

"All excepting one. I met Tom Blue a few days after escaping here. I was stabbed during one of the duels, and he's been at my side ever since. He's the only constant.

"As far as what kind of fantasy world this is...there is infinite possibility here, I think." He reached for the rum again and drank. "Once I had run the Dark Lord through, I felt something I had never felt in my previous life. I felt...accomplished. As if I had truly done something of merit. Not something done because it was required of me, not something done for a debt, but something I had done for me, and my crew."

"I see."

"No, you don't, but if you stay, you will. The Wizard Space will see to that."

Remus stared at him in shock. "There's a way to leave?"

"Of course."

"Then...why have you stayed?" he blurted out.

It was Severus's turn to stare at him. "Why would I return? For the Kiss? Don't be daft."

"Ah."

"Are you so eager to return to her that you would risk being executed?" asked Severus with a touch of bitterness.

"Return to...Tonks?" Remus shook his head. "She's...we broke it off some time ago."

"Really." Severus's tone was completely neutral.

"I have had the occasional fling with women," said Remus, "but I am most comfortable with...men."

Severus's face flushed. "Ah."

"I liked her, and she seemed...she seemed like a way to capture a life that I'd been denied." He shook his head. "In the end, I just couldn't continue it. I liked her, very much, but it just isn't the same." He paused for a moment. "Speaking along that vein...I was rather surprised that Lucius had...er...similar feelings."

"He doesn't," said Severus. "He is quite enamored of women, actually. The real Lucius adores Narcissa utterly. However, you were apparently delegated the role of Arabella in this scenario, and Lucius, as Levasseur, was required to be smitten with Arabella."

Remus grinned. "I guess I should be thankful that I wasn't forced to wear a dress, then."

"Really? You don't wish to don a corset?" said Severus, smirking.

Remus shuddered. "No, thanks."

There was a knock at the door. "Captain Blood!"

"Enter," said Severus, groaning.

Jeremy opened the door, looking worried. "Captain, there's a—"

"...barnacle on the cathead, yes, yes." He stood up and followed Jeremy out.

The room was quiet, and Remus walked around, examining it. There were chests of gold and pearls everywhere. Gilded weapons and silks hung on hooks, and he wondered if it stayed the same every time Severus returned to this scenario, or if the colors changed.

Eventually the room felt stuffy, and he decided to take a stroll in the evening air. With only a few wrong turns, he managed to get to the deck, and he leaned against the railing, watching the waves. Stars glittered in the heavens. A bank of clouds hugged the eastern horizon, making him wonder if a storm was coming.

"Lovely evening," said Tommy, coming up to stand next to him.

"Yes, it is." The clouds were shifting; they looked strangely illuminated from within. He looked down at Tommy, who barely came up to his shoulder.

"He's a good captain," Tommy said serenely. "I've been with him constant. I'd follow him anywhere. The devil's backside, even."

Remus chuckled. "You've looked after him for a long time."

"First time I saw him, he was squirting blood like a bilge pump." He shook his head.

"You were with him when he fought the Dark Lord, as well."

"Aye," said Tommy quietly. "Aye, I was, at that. A terrible, dark time. It was I who found him, chained like a dog in the hull."

Remus turned back to the sea, gazing at the moon, which had just begun to peek out of the clouds, turning the water into molten silver. A warm breeze caressed him, bringing with it the pleasant scent of tropical flowers. He could just make out the island in the distance, its palm trees swaying in the light of the moon.

The very _full_ moon. Remus felt his heart squeeze in terror, and he made a strangled sound in his throat. He gripped the railing so hard that his fingers hurt. The horror of the transformation would be on him in a moment, and his stomach turned to ice as he thought of how many of the crew he would kill, how much flesh he would rend, before the moon set again. He was trapped on the ship, with the only other option to throw himself in the ocean. "Manacles," he gasped out. If Tommy could get him into irons quickly enough...

Tommy cocked his head to one side. "And what would you be wanting them for? Planning on jailing yourself?"

"I'm a werewolf," he choked out. "Get them quickly!" The moon was very nearly revealed, swollen and ominous, emerging from the ocean.

Tommy only chuckled. "It's not a moon which could harm you."

"Not..." He looked down at his hands, which were still only his hands. "Not the real moon." He looked up at it in awe. It had been over thirty years since he had last seen the full moon with human eyes, and it was bigger than he remembered, tinged with the faintest hint of orange. Its light made a silver pathway that rippled to the boat, as if it was trying to reach out to him.

"_A painted ship upon a painted ocean_," sighed Tommy. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Remus looked at him. "Are you...Albus?" he asked quietly.

"No, lad, I'm just an old sailor," said Tommy, smiling. "I do so love the sea." He clapped him on the back. "You should be getting some rest. Tomorrow will see battle." He wandered off, humming, his rolling gait quite at home on the gently rocking deck.

Remus smiled to himself, and went to his cabin to turn in for the night.

* * *

He woke the next morning with the same feeling of freshness, and he grinned. The cabin had remained the same, and he dressed in the new clothing left for him, which turned out to be a simple shirt and trousers, with a wide leather belt and matching boots.

The ship was alive with activity, and many of the men looked uneasy. Severus was standing near the helm, a spyglass in one hand. Jeremy was showing a chart to him.

"Good morning," said Remus brightly.

Severus nodded and went back to the map. He had shed his coat, and wore the same kind of shirt and trousers that Remus was wearing. His left hand was clasped around the handle of the sheathed rapier he wore.

"Ahoy, the deck!" called out a loud voice from the crow's nest.

"Ahoy!" answered Severus.

"Land sighted! Port Royal!"

"Peter, this is madness!" said Jeremy quietly. "We'll be slaughtered!"

"Ahoy, the deck!" called out the sailor from the crow's nest again.

"Ahoy!" answered Severus.

"I see flashes of gunfire in the harbor!"

Severus bounded to the prow, putting his spyglass up to one eye.

"Captain Blood, I _must_ speak with you!" said Percy, sounding aggrieved.

"Their harbor is undefended!" said Tommy. "Where is the English fleet?"

"Out chasing pirates," said Jeremy, and many of the pirates laughed.

"I can't make out their flags," said Severus.

"They are French ships!" said Percy loudly. Everyone turned to stare at him. "Well, they must be! France and England are at war, you know."

"At war?" said Jeremy in disbelief.

"King James has been dethroned," said Percy, looking rather pleased with himself. "King William III now reigns, and he has sent me to give you a commission, signed by his own hand, to join his navy. You would have known this, if you'd just taken the time to speak to me!"

"James is gone?" cried Jeremy.

"Yes," said Percy. "You are all pardoned. He knows that you were unjustly sold into slavery. And, as an Englishman, I implore you to save Port Royal! If the fleet is gone, then these French ships will smash it to splinters!"

Severus jumped to the railing. "Do you hear that, men? We're free! King William rules England now!" There was a resounding cheer.

Remus watched as Severus continued his speech, imploring them to fight the French ships and save Port Royal. The men watched, rapt, as Severus thundered encouragement, inciting them to fight. It was breathtaking. Remus remembered the shy, sullen boy from Hogwarts, and was hard-pressed to reconcile him with the brash, outspoken role he had taken up in this fantasy world. Severus looked splendid waving them on to battle. In fact, he looked more than splendid; he was electrifying. The long lines of his body, the dark, mesmerizing eyes, his rich, powerful voice...Remus was entranced.

"Well, men, shall we fight?" roared Severus.

"Aye!" shouted all of the crew.

"Clear decks for action!" shouted Severus.

"Them's happy words!" said Tommy.

Severus began calling out directions, assigning tasks to everyone, and Remus scrambled to get out of the way of the crew.

"Loose your sheets!" shouted Tommy. "Lively there! Turn loose your braces!"

"Run up a French flag!" called out Severus. He grinned at Remus, and there was an infectious energy in his eyes. "When an English lion enters a French den of foxes, he does well to wear a bushy tail."

There were two ships in the harbor, and as the _Cinco Llagos_ approached, the sailors crouched so they wouldn't be seen. Men prepared their muskets, and Remus could hear the scurry of action on the gundeck below as they positioned the cannons behind their ports.

"You might need this," said Severus, and Remus whirled around to find that he was right next to him. Severus handed him a rapier. "Stick with Jeremy. He'll keep you safe."

"Is there any...danger?" Remus blushed, feeling inept.

Severus leaned in to whisper, "Some, but Jeremy's one of the principles. You won't be harmed if you stay with him."

His hot breath on Remus's ear made him shiver. "Yes, I'll...stay with him."

Severus handed him a pistol as well. "Just in case." And then he was off, unfolding his spyglass and ordering someone to take hot coals from the galley to load some of the cannons.

Remus found Jeremy, who wanted to stash the charts below, and he helped, grabbing armfuls of the rolled paper maps and taking them to Severus's cabin.

Emerging back into the dazzling sunshine, he could hear Tommy, who was walking across the deck, threading his way through the crouching men. "Stand by with your matches and ready to fire...Stand by with your matches and ready to fire..."

Severus stood at the helm as the _Cinco Llagos_ made her way into the harbor, sailing on a course that would take them in between the two French ships.

"Wait to open the gun ports," warned Severus, holding his hand out.

They drifted a few more feet, and it seemed as if they were all holding their breath, watching the French launch cannon strike after cannon strike into the town.

"Strike that French flag and show our colors!" bellowed Severus. "Open the gun ports! Fire!"

The men stood up, aiming their muskets at the starboard ship, and there was a deafening series of noises as the cannons boomed and the men let loose a volley of musket balls.

"Keep firing!" shouted Severus over the noise. The ship drifted even closer. "Tommy! Have them fire the hot coals broadside!"

Tommy nodded and ran below to the gun deck.

They were getting closer now, and the deck was vibrating from the cannons. The French ships fired on them in return, but the ship on the starboard side had been struck several hard blows, and was listing alarmingly. One shot had taken out a mast, and it crashed on deck, flames licking the sails.

"Keep at them!" Severus strode across the deck. "Pound the water line!"

The ship was doomed. It began to slide into the water.

"Jeremy! Take the helm!" Severus pointed to them. "Head straight into the port ship!"

"Aye!" shouted Jeremy, and they ran to the helm, relieving the helmsman, who ran off to join his group.

"We're taking water!" reported Tommy. "What do we do?"

Severus paused for a moment. "Do? We'll board a ship that isn't sinking! You!" He pointed to the helmsman. "Take your men up into the shrouds! Cross over when you can!" He raced off toward the stern, leaving Remus standing next to Jeremy, feeling quite useless.

"We just need to get close enough for the men to use their grapnels," said Jeremy. "They'll pull us together."

Remus nodded. "We're nearly there, I'd say."

Some of the crew were already lined up, holding coils of rope and large metal grappling hooks. Severus ran toward the stern of the ship, climbing into the ropes.

More men were swinging the grapnels, and though some fell short, enough caught to begin pulling. Men queued up and began hauling the lines in, and the French ship began to grow nearer, at first slowly, and then fast enough that Remus braced himself for the impact, which nearly knocked him off his feet. He looked up to see pirates crawling across the rigging, and he immediately noticed a black-haired figure. He watched as Severus used a rope to swing over to be first onto the French ship, landing smartly and immediately engaging in battle.

Jeremy left the helm and dashed off eagerly toward the railing, Remus in hot pursuit. They both jumped onto the French ship, and Remus nearly slipped in a pool of blood.

Battle raged all around them, and Remus was glad that the French wore striped shirts, because he was afraid he wouldn't have been able to tell anyone apart otherwise, so alike did they look. He stayed at Jeremy's side, and found that Severus had been entirely correct; no harm seemed to come to him.

Severus cut down the French flag, and the crew of the _Cinco Llagos_ cheered lustily. Within moments, the French captain called out their surrender, and they began to drop their swords.

Someone hoisted the English flag, and Tommy briskly organized the French sailors on deck. "Take those stickers away from them before they hurt themselves!" he shouted, pointing to a few who still clutched their rapiers.

The next few hours were confusion, and Remus was glad when he boarded a longboat with Severus and they made their way to the town. Percy accompanied them, and his papers allowed them entry into the Governor's mansion.

They were detained briefly by an altercation with Colonel Bishop, who sailed in just after the battle had ended. Everything happened so quickly that Remus's head whirled. Severus revealed himself to be the new governor of Jamaica, deposing Colonel Bishop of his position. Colonel Bishop hadn't responded well, which resulted in Tommy dragging him off to a cell to cool down. The grateful citizens mobbed the pirates, and an impromptu parade resulted, with Tommy at the forefront.

Then there was only the two of them, standing in the foyer of the mansion, and Remus felt shivery inside as he looked into dark eyes.

"Time for dinner," said Severus. "The kitchen is this way."

"You seem to know the mansion well enough."

"Of course. I've been here at least fifteen times." Severus walked confidently down a corridor, turning right into the next hallway.

"It's quite nice," said Remus appreciatively. The décor was right out of a movie, with sumptuous draperies and various weapons and paintings gracing the walls.

Severus stopped and looked around for a moment.

"What's the matter?" asked Remus. "Do you think someone's going to attack—"

He was interrupted by an unexpected kiss, hot and searing. Severus was pressed up against him, warm and lithe and smelling of the sea, and Remus forgot to draw breath for a long moment, until Severus broke the kiss and stepped away, his dark eyes feverish.

"Why..." gasped Remus.

"I don't know," admitted Severus. "I've thought of you these past years..."

Something occurred to him. "Have I been here before? Er...a construct of me?"

"Yes. But I couldn't...it just seemed...wrong."

They had kissed before, many years ago, a hasty, passionate kiss that Remus had never forgotten. Sirius had witnessed it, and played the awful trick on Severus, and he thought that had been the end of what might have been. But here, in this fantasy world, Severus seemed to have given up his grudge, and Remus could see that he had truly changed. Severus had lost some of his bitterness; some of the darkness had finally left him.

Remus felt a delicious longing well up within him.

"Shall we?" asked Severus, turning on his heel and leading the way.

Dinner could not end swiftly enough, not with those dark eyes watching his every move. Remus couldn't even recall what he'd eaten. He only knew that every minute seemed like an eternity.

Severus finished his dessert, and sat back with a contented sigh. "Delicious."

"Yes," said Remus, staring at him. "Yes, I agree completely."

Severus flushed. "Shall we retire, then? The governor's suite awaits us."

The invitation could not be clearer. "Yes, of course."

The room was spacious and magnificent, and the bed was huge. The doors to the veranda were open wide, letting in the fragrant evening air.

The adjoining bathroom was handsomely decorated, and there was a bath already drawn, the water steaming invitingly. Remus stripped off his clothes and lay down in the tub, sighing as the hot water relaxed his body.

Some part of him was still in shock, trying to understand how he had come to this place. Part of him still couldn't believe that he was here, in a pirate fantasy, with Severus Snape. Part of him was just beginning to understand that his life had changed, and that he had the power now to take what he wanted, instead of making do as he had for so many years.

No more would he be tormented by the moon.

No more would he be barred from a normal life.

No more would he be forced to live under another's thumb.

The bath cooled, and he got out, drying himself off and donning a silk dressing-gown that hung on the door.

Once he opened that door, he'd be with Severus. His hand was on the doorknob, and yet he paused. Was this what he wanted?

Could he find out what might have been, had Sirius not interfered...had the Dark Lord not taken Severus...had their lives not been nearly ruined by war and strife and the curse of lycanthropy?

He turned the doorknob. Life had handed him another chance, and he would not let it slip out of his fingers again.

Severus reclined on the bed, completely naked, and Remus felt the heat rise in his face. Bronzed by the sun, lean and wiry, Severus looked marvelous. Remus neared the bed, sitting down next to his ankles, and laid one hand on his calf. His flesh was warm, taut, and Remus found himself lightly caressing him. The coarse hairs on his legs were markedly different than Tonks' smooth, soft skin, and Remus found himself growing more excited. Severus was as masculine as Tonks was feminine, and Remus knew clearly that this was where he belonged.

His hands stroked Severus, touching knobby knees and lightly scratching thighs, lingering over bony ankles. He looked up, studying Severus's face. His eyes were closed and his lips slightly parted.

Remus moved higher, gently tracing sharp hipbones. Severus's cock was a beautiful thing, even only half-hard, and Remus paused a moment before taking it entirely into his mouth.

Severus gasped. "Remus...ah..."

That was all the encouragement he needed. He began to lick and suck, feeling Severus swell in response. He leaned on his left elbow, trapping Severus's legs under his torso, using his right hand to gently cup his balls, squeezing them lightly. Severus gasped again, and he waggled his tongue against the underside of his cock, eliciting a moan.

"You...I'm..." Severus panted, leaning up, trying to disengage him.

"Too close?" asked Remus slyly.

Severus nodded, trying to catch his breath, and Remus grinned.

"My turn," said Severus, pulling off the dressing-gown. His eyes seemed to devour the sight of Remus's body, and Remus blushed. "Lean back on the bed," he said, and he shamelessly wrapped his hand around Remus's cock. His callused fingers knew exactly what to do, and within moments Remus was groaning.

Sitting up, he crushed his lips to his own, and Severus responded eagerly, his hands trailing across Remus's ribs.

His body felt amazing. So masculine. He could feel long muscles bunching and relaxing under his fingertips, and he sighed into the kiss, pulling Severus closer. The heat from their bodies was intense. Severus excited him in a way that no one else ever had.

Remus broke off the kiss. "I need to...I want to..." Words were muddled, but Severus seemed to know exactly what he meant, and retrieved a vial from a desk.

He watched, mesmerized, as Severus took three steps back to the bed, his cock bobbing. "I never realized how gorgeous you are," said Remus. "Your body...you are beautiful." Severus flushed, and Remus watched, entranced, as it spread to his chest. "I want you."

"I want you," said Severus, his voice husky. He began to unstopper the vial.

Remus shook his head. Grabbing a wrist, he hauled Severus into his arms, kissing him passionately. "I want to have you. Tonight. I'm going to take you. Now."

Severus shivered in his arms and moaned as Remus raked his nails across his arse possessively. "Yes," he said breathlessly.

Remus took the vial from his hand. "Get on the bed," he ordered.

Severus obeyed, scrambling up on his hands and knees.

Remus let his eyes wander appreciatively over Severus's long, elegant back and lovely arse. The red marks from his nails stood out against the sallow color of his flesh. Remus unstoppered the vial and poured oil onto his cock, stroking it, feeling it throb in anticipation.

At Remus's first touch, Severus gasped, and he prepared him slowly, gently exploring with a single finger until he relaxed. More oil and languid strokes, and Severus moaned weakly, the sheets bunched up under his hands.

Remus got up on the bed behind him, putting his hands on Severus's ribs, leaning forward to whisper into his ear, "I want to fuck you, Captain."

Severus moaned aloud.

"I'm going to drive into you," said Remus. "I'm going to have you, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it."

"Yes," panted Severus, sounding as if he was coming undone.

As thoroughly as Remus had prepared him, Severus was still tight, and Remus eased into him slowly. Severus gasped weakly, shaking underneath him, and Remus ran his hands along his back gently, trying to calm him. All at once he seemed to relax, and Remus began to thrust, his body overwhelmed with the intensity of the feeling. Severus was hot, and deliciously tight, and Remus held on to his hips as he drove into him.

"Uh..." Severus was beyond words, which excited Remus to no end. Leaning forward, he took Severus's cock in one hand, stroking him. Feeling the hot body beneath him and hearing the whimpers as he tightened his grip brought him to the edge, and he teetered for a moment until Severus cried out gutturally, spurting into his hand.

Another thrust, and another, and Remus was coming, the entire room fading as he groaned. It felt like his entire body was completely centered on his cock and the heat that surrounded it. Pleasure rose in waves, and he drove in one last time, gasping, before he collapsed next to Severus on the bed.

"Thank you," said Remus, a little breathlessly.

Severus croaked out a laugh. "So polite." He rolled onto his side, and his eyes were heavy-lidded. "That..." He shivered.

"Yes, it was amazing," said Remus, grinning like an idiot, and not caring one bit.

"Will you stay?" asked Severus suddenly. "Do you still want to leave?"

"This...tell me you weren't seducing me so I would stay," said Remus, heart-stricken.

"It was a shock to see you." Severus reached out, lightly touching his wrist. "I won't deny that I was afraid, at first. But then, when I woke up the next morning, and you weren't there...I panicked. I thought that perhaps you _were_ a construct. Then, when Levasseur's ship was sighted, I realized where you were." He closed his eyes. "I was frightened for you. I knew how the scenario would play out, but I was so angry...I wanted to kill him where he stood." His hand was still on Remus's wrist, barely touching, the fingertips dry and warm. "I realized, then, that I didn't want you to leave. I wanted you here, with me." He reopened his eyes, and they were full of hope. "I always wished that it hadn't come to...that it hadn't ended like it did."

"I did, too." Remus smiled. "I want to stay."

Severus smiled then, and gave his wrist a little squeeze.

"You don't think we'll have problems with the crew, do you?" asked Remus softly.

Severus gave him a withering glance. "They're _sailors_, Lupin."

* * *

Remus woke to find himself in a strange new cabin. As he dressed hurriedly and made his way up to the deck, he found himself thinking that it looked oddly familiar.

When he reached the deck he stopped, and stared. The sails were black, and the crew looked grimy and strange.

At the helm, Severus looked bewildered. His clothes were ragged, and he wore a tricorn hat; there were beads and trinkets woven into his hair. Copious eyeliner darkened his eyes. "What's going on?" said Severus, looking at his outstretched hands. His fingernails were painted black. "I don't recognize this at all."

Tommy grinned, leaning against the railing, looking especially pleased.

"I do," said Remus, grinning. "You're Captain Jack Sparrow." He couldn't help but laugh. "Today is going to be...interesting."


End file.
